The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 29, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1996
James C Chen, Bellevue, WA (US);
Brent Wiscombe, Mesa, AZ (US);
Light Sciences Limited Partnership, Issaquah, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for applying beat to a treatment site prior to effecting photodynamic therapy. The perfusion of a drug into abnormal tissue in a tumor (12) is enhanced by heating the treatment site at which the tumor is disposed using a heat source (26) mounted on a fixture (20, 34) separate from a light source (28) on a probe used to effect the photodynamic therapy. Alternatively, the heat source and light source may comprise different types of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in an array on a probe (14) disposed at the treatment site. Also mounted on the fixture is a temperature sensor (30), which produces a signal indicative of the temperature at the treatment site. In response to this signal, a controller (24/36) controls the heat source to prevent vascular damage. In addition to enhancing the perfusion of a photoreactive agent into the treatment site, heating the tissue at the site prior to initiating the PDT greatly enhances the efficacy of this treatment.